Mums

Re: Mums

Sat Sep 10, 2016 10:57 am

It's pretty iffy either way, whether they will survive winter and come back in spring. Looks like you have five or six weeks until first frost. But they are better protected in the ground than in a pot. The soil and roots freeze harder in a pot and are more vulnerable to freeze thaw cycles. So I would put them in a ground. Just dig a hole big enough for all the soil in the pot. Slide the plant and root ball out of the pot and into the hole right away. Should have fairly minimal transplant shock that way.

Re: Mums

Sat Sep 10, 2016 12:15 pm

Would it give it a better chance if I brought it indoors instead when they go dormant? We don't have a garage or shed to put them in so I thought I would use the bedroom, it is not heated but would protect the mums from the freezing and thawing of the ground. We don't use the bedroom in the winter so it would not be bothered. How does that sound and then in the spring if it regrows I can plant it in the ground. Your idea is a great one, but I have had so many mums before and not one of them made it. I actually had one to start putting out new growth but I brought it out into the living room too soon and the new growth died. So I am considering ALL possibilities and ALL suggestions, thank you rainbowgardener!

Re: Mums

Wed Sep 14, 2016 2:04 am

Mums ARE better protected in the ground than in the pot. In the bedroom they will be in a warmer place than outside (even though the bedroom isn't heated) and they will have some light, which might trigger them coming out of dormancy early and becoming leggy. My best luck has been to plant them close to the foundation on the warmest side (southeast) of the house, leaving all the foliage on so it will catch any snow. Planting this late in the season could lead to frost-heaving of the root ball. After the ground freezes, I put the boughs of the Christmas tree over the mums and this helps them stay solidly in the ground. Then, I move them to their permanent locations in spring. Best guess on my success rate is about 50% with better luck in milder winters. It's worth a try, rather than throwing them in the composter. Remember, too, that some varieties just aren't as hardy as others.EDIT: forgot to say that in the spring, if they survive, they need to be divided, replanted and fertilized. As another posted said, after being forced into fall bloom, the plants are somewhat exhausted and division is their best chance of starting life anew.

Last edited by A Closet Canuck on Wed Sep 14, 2016 9:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Re: Mums

Wed Sep 14, 2016 3:54 am

Best way to have perennial mums is to buy them in the spring, NOT in bloom. Then they have the whole season to put down roots and get established. Also the ones that they sell in the fall have been forced in to super blooming. They look beautiful for that moment, but they are pretty exhausted. They are basically disposables.

Re: Mums

Wed Sep 14, 2016 6:51 pm

How warm does the bedroom stay? I had mums in the rabbit shed last winter but it stays around 40*F. You have to water them occasionally and they do come out of dormancy early. You have to have lights set up for them before they wake up. Watch for moldy foliage, if they get moldy the plants die pretty quickly.

Or you could go ahead and plant them but mulch them heavily after the ground freezes. Either way it's an iffy proposition. I think they look better longer if planted in the ground instead of leaving them in pots.

Re: Mums

Wed Sep 14, 2016 9:46 pm

I agree with rainbow gardener. The best strategy is to buy them in spring but sometimes they are hard to find that time of year.Today the grocery store has a nice outside display of mums for sale that are in full bloom. It is soooo tempting....but my internal scrooge says, "Wait, wait..they will be half-price soon."

Re: Mums

Sat Dec 03, 2016 8:19 pm

I brought my mums inside today, I put them in the kitchen and watered them. It stays warm but not too warm and the only light is from the window and it is boarded up so it lets in very little light. I did ot water them too much, so let me know if you think it will be a good place to overwinter them. Will they keep alright in the kitchen?

Re: Mums

Sun Dec 04, 2016 1:38 am

I love mums. I used to grow them at home a long time ago. I can't help you with over wintering, but their peak bloom is in the late summer and fall. They are perennial in my climate (zone 12a), but the snails and slugs love them. It is ave 80 degrees here and I grew them in partial shade. The lows here are about 51 degrees. So if your kitchen is in that range, it may do o.k. it might do better under lights. The like a rich soil and are heavy feeders. Be careful about over watering.

Re: Mums

Sat Dec 10, 2016 7:31 pm

I gave them a rather severe haircut today, and also gave them some water but I put it in the pan on the bottom instea d of in the top, is that alright? I read that if you keep them moist, but not soggy they would do ok in the house.

Re: Mums

Wed Dec 14, 2016 1:36 pm

yes, if they are indoors with warmth and light they will grow. I'm not sure that's a good thing, though. Mums are adapted to cold winter dormancy. If they grow all through the winter, they may just die when you try to move them out in spring. They are really not house plants.

Re: Mums

Wed Dec 14, 2016 2:34 pm

The trouble with plants that start to grow when you could have kept them dormant is that they will want fertilizer and strong light. Maybe you could put them on the floor where thermal layer should be a bit cooler? Look for micro-climates within your home -- 1st floor vs 2nd, floor vs. counter vs. top of shelf/fridge, just below window sill (chill damp air transfered through window and condensation will flow down below -- but if you have central heating register there, then it will be warm and dry instead), etc. see if you can out them back to sleep/hibernation. ...sing them a lullaby...

You'll need to watch out for spider mites on mums.

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